Srinagar, Aug 5: Police on Tuesday thwarted a protest march by the National Conference (NC) in Srinagar against the Centre’s 2019 move to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Led by NC Kashmir president Showkat Ahmad Mir, senior leaders and MLAs assembled at the party headquarters Nawa-i-Subah, raising slogans like “August 5 decisions not acceptable” and “Restore Articles 370 and 35A.” Protesters attempted to march towards Lal Chowk, but police sealed the party office gates, preventing their movement.
NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said police “pushed some leaders” and confirmed that MLA Salman Sagar suffered a foot injury during the scuffle. He emphasized that the protest also aimed to press for the restoration of statehood, six years after J&K’s downgrade to UT status.
Meanwhile, Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone called August 5 a “brutal reminder of democracy being undermined,” stating that while past glories were taken away, the “inglorious won’t last either.”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari described August 5 as a “painful reminder” and urged New Delhi to uphold the constitutional and democratic rights of J&K residents. He called for an inclusive dialogue to ensure peace, justice, and dignity in the region.
Political voices across J&K marked the day with renewed calls for justice and the reversal of the constitutional changes made in 2019.
